Semiconductor devices are often plagued by heat dissipation problems. For example, simple diodes will produce heat during use and excessive heating can damage or destroy the semiconductor device. Other semiconductor devices also suffer from similar shortcomings. In addition to overheating, repeated cycles of heating and cooling often cause components of the devices to fail. The wires that are present in such devices are another source of mechanical failure. Moreover, it is difficult and expensive to attach such wires to the semiconductor die, as specialized machinery and extra manufacturing steps are required for such attachment. A number of attempts have been made to overcome these deficiencies, but none have proven entirely satisfactory.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,990,987 to Boucher, et at. (Over-temperature sensor and protector for semiconductor devices) discloses a semiconductor device with a thermistor which is in a heat sensing relationship with the semiconductor. As the temperature of the device rises beyond a certain threshold, the resistance of the thermistor increases. In this fashion, overheating of the device can be prevented.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,714,789 to Estes, et al. (Circuit board-mounted IC package cooling apparatus) discloses a semiconductor package filled with a thermally conductive liquid that helps dissipate heat. Unfortunately, the use of such liquid systems has proven problematic.
Therefore, a more efficient method of dissipating the heat generated by a semiconductor device is desired.
It is also desired to provide a semiconductor device that obviates wires connecting the die to the lead frame.